The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-27
STABILITY OF Thu EARTH
DANGERS FROM EARTHQUAKES
IN THIS COUNTRY.
Regions Of Recurreut shocks In Va.
riOus Parts OF the World-New
MAdrid's Quakes.

Prof. n. M. Shaler, in Scribner' S
Mdgdsine for March, apropos of the
recent earthquakes in Italy, writes
on THE Stability OF the Earth, and
says that Tin the present condition
of the earth's crust, so far as the
brief historic record goes to show,
earthquakes of an intensity menac-
ing to man are limited to certain re-
giOns which probably do not alto
gether include more than one fourth
OF the area of the lands, though
shocks Of a less degree OF violence
appear to be common to every part of
the surface of the continents. The
regions Of recurrent shocks of con-
siderable violence are so irregularly
distributed that they cannot be ade-
Quately noted in this briet essay.
They include, in Europe, Iceland
Portugal, Spain and Southern Italy /;
the region of the lower Danube, and
some Of the islands of the Grecian
Archipelago. la Asia, the larger
part of Asia Minor, several limited
areas in Hindostan, the greater part
Of the eastern littoral region of Asia,
and the islands OF the Japanese and
Malayau Archipelagoes are subjected
to destructive shocks.
In Africa, there is, save in Egypt,
little architecture TO suffer from
earthquake disturbance, and even
little history TO record it. Egypt
seems to have been, on the whole,
singularly exempt from great earth
quakes, while the western portion of
the Mediterranean face of the CONT
nent shares the disturbances from
which the Spanish peninsula has re-
peatedly suffered. The vast Aus
tralian and Polynesian distr ct ofthe
Pacific affords a number of regions of
great earthquake activity, OF which
New Zealand is the only one where
We have anything like good observa-
tions for even few score years. 1t
may be said however, that the
greater part of this vast area seems to
be more exempt from these indica-
tons OF activity in the crust than any
other equally extensive part of the
earth's surface.
We now come to the twin CONT
nents, North and South America.
The obvious resemblances in the
physical con6guration of these con
tinents lead us to expect a likeness
in their conditions of stability. This
semblance in q certain measure ex-
lists. The western shore Of both these
continents, the seward face of the
great Cordilleran range of mountains,
is the seat OF the most frequent and,
on the whole, the most energetic dis
turbances which occur within their
limits, while the eastern shore of
each is comparatively little assailed
by shocks. The northern, or Vene-
zuelau district of South America,
which is apparently the seat of an
active mountain growth, Of which
there is no parallel in the northern
continent, is a district of recurrent
shocks of great violenc ,, such as have
never been observed in high ATTITUDES
on our own continent. On the other
hand, the region from the mouth of
the Amazon to the La Plata river,
which corresponds to our seaboard
Atlantic States and the provinces Of
Canada, enjoys an immunity from dis
turbances probably not exceeded by
any other equally extensive area oc-
cupied by the Aryan race, while the
corresponding region in North Amer
lea is much less fortunate.
EARTHQUAKES IN MASSACHUSETTS
1t is to be noted, however, that
since the settlement of this New
England country there has been
several. shocks of an alarming
nature, which have principally at
fected the State of Massachusetts,.
That of 1877 and several following
years was one OF the most peculiar
disturbances which have ever been
recorded. The first movements of
this long continued series OF shocks
disturbed a tolerably large area; but
in a short time the shocks became
confined to the region near the old
town of Newbury, Mass, where,
from 1727 to 1740, each shock
though the motion was slight, was
accompanied by loud and terrifying
sounds proceeding from the depths
OF the earth. We have the story of
this strange CONFUSION from the
journal of the Rev. Matthias Plant,
the pastor of the Puritan Church
at Newbury. Although he viewed
the matter nationally, many
people believed that the
tumult was caused by the devil at
work in his neither realm. In 1855,
almost coincidentally with the gteat
Lisbon earthquake, Central New
England was visited by disturbance
of considerable violence, one which,
though a single shock, was probably
nearly, if not quite, as violent as any
of the several movements which
have recently occurred in South
Carolina. This disturbance, though
not hurtful to life or limb, did good
deal OF minor damage to the build
ings of Boston aud vicinity; good
part of the chimneys were over
turned, and wherever heavy weight
was supported on a tall, irai! base,
the effects were considerable. John
! Winthrop, then professor Of physics
and astronomy in Harvard Col
leRe, one of the few eminent
American men of science of
the eighteenth century, states that
the bricks from the chimney Of his
house, in Cambridge, the top OF
which was thirty-two feet from the
ground, we're thrown to point thir-
ty feet from the basement of the
structure. If we may trust this OBJ
servation, it is clear that the shock
though not of great violence, was Of
sufficient force to bring havoc tc
many flimsy structures OF the present
day., Since 1855 there has been nc
earthquake in this district which
can be termed menacing 10 its VIC.
lence, though movements OF Sigh
Importance have been numerous.
THE EARTHQUAKES OF 1911 AMI
&C.. .tsi 5 1885, F.a
| The shocks Of 18l1-13 are, by thei
1 =. L -.